With rapidly growing internet sales globally, Australia’s Major retailers dont seem to have much store in online shopping. Woolworth’s online retail division, homeshop.com.au is not mentioned in the company’s latest annual report and is not even ranked on major search engine Google. Coles Myer only includes colesonline.com.au results under the food and liquor division in its profit and loss account and also has businesses that have websites but are not ranked on Google such as vintagecellars and Harris Technology. Department store Myer use their websites as an online catalogue only, as does David Jones who abandoned online retail years ago.

Exhibition company DMG World Media has cancelled plans to hold an upmarket gift exhibition in May. The company had planned to hold Top Drawer from the 15th to 17th May 2006 at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre. DMG were unable to get enough exibitors to commit to the event.

Statistics released show that Australia’s fourth-quarter consumer prices had the smallest increase in more than a year as retailers lowered prices of clothing, car and computers to attract shoppers with unprecedented discounting throughout the Christmas and New Year trading period.

The price of electrical goods fell 3.2%, drug prices fell 4.6% and clothing and footwear prices fell 0.2%, whilst at the same time food prices increased 1.8 percent for the fourth quarter. The statistics bureau also repoted that retail sales fell 0.1 percent in November from October, the second decline in three months.

In examples reported, auto parts retailer Super Cheap Autos, with 225 stores said sales fell 0.5 percent in the 26 weeks ended Dec. 31. A general weakness in the apparel market is demonstarted by Pacific Brands, (underwear, footwear and bedding) which said first-half earnings fell as much as 5% on discounting and weaker demand for women’s clothing. David Jones reported in November that their first-quarter revenue declined 3.1% as weaker consumer spending damped sales of furniture, televisions and major appliances.

Businesses are again recommeded to be wary of the risks of employing staff, when Australian retailer, Woolworths Ltd, was convicted and fined $100,000 this month for inadequately training a worker who was seriously hurt while lifting a 20kg bag of onions.
Although WorkSafe told the court that the person remembered seeing an induction video which had a portion on lifting when he began working at Safeway the business received a heavy fine.

Woolworths pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates court on two charges relating to failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace and for inadequately training a 17-year-old casual worker.
No Government MPs have yet announced their intentions to clean out inappropriate judiciary staff or to introduce legislation to protect business from employee’s own foolish actions or disabilities not obvious.

Woolworths Ltd has reported an 18 per cent jump in first half sales and says it is well positioned to weather the current downturn in Australian retailing with strong second quarter sales in each of its divisions. Its businesses include supermarkets, Big W and Dick Smith Electronics with total sales for the second quarter jumping a significant 22.1% to $10.18 billion. The market pushed Woolworths shares up 3.7% following the announcement.
Woolworths chief executive Roger Corbett is expecting a tougher peroiod ahead, when he says discretionary spending will feel the pinch. He expects tight discretionary spending to have less impact on Dick Smith Electronics than other retailers where purchases can be deferred. He said Australians are enormously technologically sensitive and spend less on traditional toys while spending more on electronic toys. Whilst many smaller retailers have experienced a retail slowdown as consumers reduce discretionary spending due to high petrol prices, Woolworths has been protected by its strength in food sales.